Oysterville Church, January 2019
It’s not the first time the Oysterville Church has been boarded up, and I hope it won’t be the last. Boarded up means that there is restoration work going on. This time it’s a major window project – frames, sills, sashes, and any of the other wooden parts that have need of repair. For some of the thirteen windows, it’s been since 1980 that they received any TLC. For others, it’s been since the beginning – 1892!
In my childhood, the church was boarded up as well. Then, however, it was the belfry. I think it had been covered sometime in the early 1930s to keep the rain from coming inside. I don’t think it was repaired until the big restoration in 1980. By the 1930s, the Baptists no longer had an active presence in Oysterville and there was no “responsible party” (read anyone with deep pockets) who could manage to take on a project as extensive as the church restoration.
Oysterville Baptist Church c. 1930
It was not until the Oysterville Restoration Foundation (ORF) was formed in the late 1970s that funds could be obtained through grants and donations to repair and refurbish the old building. It is an ongoing responsibility and one that ORF members accept with pride. We love our old church and keeping it in good order is our primary focal point. We couldn’t do it, however, without the interest and concern of a whole host of others – those who attend vespers each summer and donate to the collection baskets; those who rent the church for marriages or other ceremonies; those who contribute to the Poor Box when visiting.
Window Project, Oysterville Church 2019
I’d like to give a shout-out to our present ORF Board Members – David Williams, Cyndy Hayward, Paul Staub, Martie Killmer, and Carol Wachsmuth. They are arranging for and overseeing a whole host of projects for the church – not only new windows, but new wallpaper and perhaps a more modern and efficient heating system. And that’s probably not all! While I’m sorry that we cannot schedule any activities in the church until March, I’m greatly looking forward to the facelift! Stay tuned!
Definitely worth the attention.
Sure hope the upgrades don’t change the accoustics!!!
That question is always foremost on my mind. One wallpaper “expert” suggested putting wallboard up first and mounting the paper on top of that. Thought it would help with the dampness and shrinking/expanding problems caused by the single-wall construction etc. But there was no clear answer t the acoustic integrity and so we decided to stick to the tried and true! (I’d like tto say that only a musician would think of that, but even those of us with tin ears can hear what happens in this spaced!! Thanks for underscoring that from a musicians point of view, Starla